The NHL season will open when the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs face off on Tuesday.
The two NHL rivals are both coming off playoff seasons. Montreal finished in second in the Eastern Conference, but lost in five games against the Ottawa Senators. Meanwhile, Toronto was a minute away from taking down the Boston Bruins in Game 7, but a late implosion coupled with giving up an overtime goal ended the team's season.
Montreal has been working hard to improve its special teams, an aspect of the game that let the team down in the playoffs.
"There's no doubt about how vital special teams are. The last few years, I'd say they're becoming increasingly important. It'll be the same thing this year. We know that we're in a tight division, and it's important to be ready and to get off to a good start," said summer addition Daniel Briere, according to the Canadiens' official website. "You never know how it's going to go, but at least we're spending a lot of time on it in practice and we're looking to get off to a good start in that regard."
The team had a light practice on Sunday to help lift spirits prior to the start of the season.
"It's good. There are times to be serious, and there are times when you can have a good laugh and have a little bit of fun together and still have some competition," said Montreal's Lars Eller of the Sunday workout, according to the team's website. "That's just a good sign. It's good that everyone in the group can have a laugh together. It's good for the team as a whole. These things will make us grow together. Everyone is excited to get going."
Prediction: Montreal wins 4-2.
Start Time: 7 p.m. EST
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